The group fell silent, the weight of Park Dong-geol’s words piercing their hearts like a dagger. He licked his dry lips before continuing.
“If you prioritize your own life above all else, trust becomes unnecessary. I want a team that can support each other without dragging anyone down. That’s the kind of commitment I’m looking for.”
“That’s… too much,” Lee Bo-rim’s voice trembled, but she seemed unwilling to back down. Even Ahn Hyun and the talkative woman, who had been challenging Park Dong-geol, were silent. Desperation flickered across her face before she spoke again with determination.
“Call me selfish if you want. It’s all or nothing, right? If it comes to it, I’ll leave on my own. I’m tired of your indecisive attitudes. I’m not the only one. Even the guy with the crossbow left to keep watch because he was frustrated. Think about it.”
“Are you kidding? How do you know if you’re useless or not without trying?” the talkative woman retorted, though her voice lacked strength. Park Dong-geol seized the opportunity.
“Without trying? Are you joking?”
“What did you say?”
“Do you still think this isn’t real? Do you have extra lives to spare? This isn’t a computer game where you can save and reload. Wake up! If we rush out and someone makes a mistake…”
He paused, drawing his thumb across his throat to finish his thought.
“We all die.”
The impact of his words sent a ripple of unease through the group. Lee Bo-rim stared blankly at the ground, while the talkative woman bit her lip. Only the woman with the cold demeanor maintained her composure.
“Don’t misunderstand. I know you don’t like me, and I apologize for my part in that. But don’t stir things up with empty words. I haven’t said I’m abandoning anyone.”
With a sly smile, Park Dong-geol thumped his chest and called out, “Let’s decide now. If you agree with me, come over here. Anyone with the right resolve is welcome.”
Tension hung thick in the air as people exchanged uncertain glances. Despite their reluctance, his words had effectively shaken their resolve, playing on their survival instincts.
The influence of his speech spread like wildfire. Even Ahn Hyun and Ahn Sol were contemplating, and the talkative woman hesitated. Meanwhile, the thug casually tapped his metal rod, exuding confidence.
I didn’t care as long as Ahn Hyun and Ahn Sol didn’t join him. But just in case, I activated my third eye to assess the talkative woman and another woman I hadn’t yet observed. First up was the intriguing talkative woman.
Name: Lee Yoo-jung (0 years)
Gender: Female (22)
Height/Weight: 166.3cm / 51.7kg
Alignment: Good · Neutral
[Strength 32] [Endurance 38] [Agility 50] [Stamina 30] [Magic 48] [Luck 46]
(No remaining stat points.)
‘Hmm.’
I could see why she stood up to Park Dong-geol. Her stats were impressive, especially her high agility and magic, which opened paths for both melee and magic. I decided to keep an eye on Lee Yoo-jung. Then I turned my third eye to the other woman, who piqued my curiosity.
Name: Kim Han-byeol (0 years)
Gender: Female (21)
Height/Weight: 170.2cm / 48.5kg
Alignment: Lawful · Chaos
[Strength 28] [Endurance 32] [Agility 46] [Stamina 24] [Magic 68] [Luck 40]
<Unique Ability (1/1)>
“Wow.”
I couldn’t help but gasp at her unique ability.
‘Charisma? Really?’
The shock was similar to when I first checked Ahn Sol’s stats. I understood why Kim Han-byeol reminded me of ‘her’—she also had a talent for charisma.
I regretted looking, but I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Both Lee Yoo-jung and Kim Han-byeol were valuable assets I couldn’t afford to lose.
Lost in thought, I absentmindedly gathered and spread dirt on the ground. I wondered if there was something I was missing. Ahn Hyun, Ahn Sol, Lee Yoo-jung, and Kim Han-byeol all had above-average initial stats for this place. Even scattered, they should have a good chance of survival.
‘Is there something I don’t know?’
I couldn’t reach a conclusion. I had theories but no certainty. I decided to set my thoughts aside and activated my third eye again to reassess the situation. I had already resolved to keep all four of them close, so there would be plenty of opportunities to observe them later.
The first to act was Lee Shin-woo. With an alignment of Lawful Good, he was kind but often lacked a backbone, easily swayed by others. His luck stat was a waste, and his other stats were unremarkable, so I silently wished him well.
“I-I want to join the team too!”
“Hmm…”
Park Dong-geol appraised Lee Shin-woo before speaking in a low voice.
“You have to protect yourself. If you become a burden, I won’t hesitate to leave you behind.”
“I understand! I’ll do my best!”
“Alright! If you pull your weight, I’ll do my best to help you. Let’s survive this hell together. And… I’m sorry for earlier. I was too on edge. I sincerely apologize.”
As soon as Park Dong-geol accepted him, Lee Shin-woo rushed over, his face beaming. Their embrace wasn’t exactly a heartwarming sight. With Lee Shin-woo on board, Park Dong-geol turned to Ahn Hyun.
“You there. Think it over. We’d welcome you anytime.”
The thug emphasized “we” with a sly tone, and Ahn Hyun hesitated, standing at a crossroads. His choice was his alone. As he deliberated, everyone, including Ahn Sol, watched him intently. Finally, Ahn Hyun spoke.
“My answer is the same. I can’t abandon my sister.”
His voice was calm and steady. Ahn Sol’s face lit up, and the female bank employee looked relieved. Ahn Hyun continued.
“But… if you include Sol in your team, I’ll consider it.”
‘Oh dear.’
This shifted the situation back to Park Dong-geol, giving him the choice he wanted. He feigned reluctance before responding.
“That’s a bit difficult. Honestly, we can’t protect your sister, nor do we intend to.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle two people’s worth of work.”
“It’s not that simple. Unforeseen situations can arise… like the incident in the clearing.”
“Then I have no choice…”
“Let’s put it on hold. Once the team is set, we can discuss it again.”
Park Dong-geol cut Ahn Hyun off, leaving room for negotiation. His strategy was clear. Only Ahn Hyun and I had actively confronted the Deadman, and with me absent, Ahn Hyun’s decision carried weight. Though Park Dong-geol had no intention of accepting Ahn Hyun, leaving the door open allowed him to sway others once more.
“Do whatever you want. Arguing won’t change anything,” Park Dong-geol said to Lee Yoo-jung, who frowned but remained silent. He then turned to Lee Bo-rim and Kim Han-byeol.
“So… what do you think?”
”…”
“Don’t misunderstand. If I intended to abandon anyone, would I have accepted him? He promised not to be a burden, to protect himself, to be useful. I didn’t take on this role lightly. I was ready to leave alone if necessary. But if you want to join this team, make the same promise in front of everyone.”
“How should I…”
In the end, it was Lee Borim who spoke first. Park Donggeol glanced at Kim Hanbyeol before continuing.
“You just need to prove that you can be an asset to the team, not just blindly protected. If I find you’re not contributing, I’ll have no qualms about kicking you out. But if you are helpful, we’ll support you with everything we’ve got. If you think you can handle that, join us.”
The idea of being useful to the team, by any means necessary, carried a strange and dangerous undertone. Lee Borim seemed to sense this, hesitating, while a look of disdain crossed Kim Hanbyeol’s face. Park Donggeol, licking his lips, turned his attention to Kim Hanbyeol.
“The same goes for you.”
”…Give me a moment.”
Kim Hanbyeol’s expression remained icy, but she closed her eyes, as if deep in thought. I was a bit worried, but if my instincts were right, she was likely to delay her decision. Park Donggeol seemed to allow for this, stepping back and casually draping an arm around Lee Shinwoo’s shoulder.
Assuming someone would outright refuse to join the team is something that only happens in novels or comics. In reality, humans are creatures of fragile emotions. Especially when their very ‘life’ is at stake, pride is often the first thing to be discarded.
How much time passed?
Eventually, it was the bank clerk, Lee Borim, who moved first. She nodded weakly, stood up, and took a hesitant step toward Park Donggeol. Despite the visible inner turmoil, she lowered her head and joined Park Donggeol and Lee Shinwoo.
At that moment, Park Donggeol’s face broke into a triumphant smile.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=